Housing configuration for a pyromechanical disconnecting device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a pyromechanical disconnecting device, especially for disconnecting the battery in a motor vehicle. Said device comprises a housing ( 1 ) in which a current conductor rail is arranged, said rail being configured in such a way that it can be disconnected by a slitting chisel ( 6 ) in a disconnecting point, wherein the slitting chisel ( 6 ) can be accelerated by the propelling gases of an ignition element ( 5 ) and the ignition element ( 5 ) has electrical connecting pins ( 9 ). Said ignition element is arranged in the locating area ( 7 ) in the housing ( 1 ) and is supported on a support bottom ( 2 ) of said locating area ( 7 ). The support bottom ( 2 ) has passage holes ( 3 ) for the connecting pins ( 9 ). In order to provide easy and safe installation of the ignition element in the disconnecting device, an elastic sealing element ( 4 ) is arranged between the ignition element ( 5 ) and the support bottom ( 2 ).

The invention relates to a pyromechanical disconnecting device, inparticular for switching off a battery in a motor vehicle, with ahousing in which a current conductor rail is arranged, constructed asable to be cut through by a disconnecting tool at a disconnecting point,wherein the disconnecting tool can be accelerated by the propellants ofan ignition element and the ignition element has electrical connectingpins, is inserted into a receiving space in the housing and is supportedon a supporting floor of this receiving space and the supporting floorhas through bores for the connecting pin.

With disconnecting devices of this kind it is known also to insert intothe housing a supporting element, which has a supporting function forabsorbing the back pressure during triggering of the ignition element.This supporting element usually consists of metal.

According to the prior art this supporting element is inserted into aninjection mould for the housing as an insertion part and injected withthe housing. This process is cost-intensive, as the insertion process isusually done by hand. Additionally there are the costs for the insertionpart itself.

The object of the invention is to enable simple and yet safeinstallation of an ignition element into the pyromechanicaldisconnecting device.

According to the invention this object is achieved in that an elasticsealing element is arranged between the ignition element and thesupporting floor. This sealing element acts as axial tolerancecompensation for the ignition element and at the same time represents asealing function against the penetration of moisture.

In one embodiment the supporting element is an O-ring. Alternatively,the sealing element may also be a flat seal, which is arranged on thesupporting floor and through which the connecting pins project.

In a further embodiment the sealing element is an elastic compensationelement injected on to the supporting floor.

The housing consists of a high-strength insulating material, preferablya plastics material, with which glass fibres or carbon fibres may bemixed for mechanical stiffening.

The invention is explained in greater detail below using three figures.

FIG. 1shows a detail from a pyromechanical disconnecting device whichcan be used for switching off the battery in a motor vehicle.

In a housing 1 made of a high-strength insulating material, with whichglass fibres or carbon fibres are mixed for stiffening, a receivingspace 7 is arranged, in which there is an ignition element 5, which oninitiation generates a propellant. This propellant accelerates adisconnecting tool 6, which in turn cuts through a current conductorrail (not shown), arranged in the housing 1 or in the receiving space 7,at a disconnecting point.

The ignition element 5 is supported on a supporting floor 2 of thereceiving space 7, the ignition element 5 having two connecting pins 9,which project through the supporting floor 2 at two through bores 3. Theconnecting pins 9 are connected from outside to a plug 10.

Between the ignition element 5 and the supporting floor 2 is arranged anelastic sealing element 4, which acts as axial tolerance compensationfor the inserted ignition element 5. At the same time this sealingelement 4 represents a sealing function against penetration of moisture.

As shown in FIG. 1, this sealing element 4 is an O-ring which issupported on a conical flank 8 of the ignition element 5 and thesupporting floor 2.

In FIG. 2an embodiment of the elastic sealing element 4 is shown, inwhich the sealing element 4 is an elastic compensation element injectedon to the supporting floor 2. This compensation element, like the O-ringshown in FIG. 1, is supported on a conical flank 8 of the ignitionelement 5.

FIG. 3shows an embodiment of the sealing element 4, in which the sealingelement 4 is a flat seal which is arranged on the supporting floor 2 andthrough which the connecting pins 9 of the ignition element 5 project.

1. Pyromechanical disconnecting device, in particular for switching offthe battery in a motor vehicle, with a housing (1), in which a currentconductor rail is arranged, constructed as able to be cut through by adisconnecting tool (6) at a disconnecting point, wherein thedisconnecting tool (6) can be accelerated by the propellants of anignition element (5) and the ignition element (5) has electricalconnecting pins (9), is inserted into a receiving space (7) in thehousing (1) and is supported on a supporting floor (2) of this receivingspace (7) and the supporting floor (2) has through bores (3) for theconnecting pins (9), characterised in that an elastic sealing element(4) is arranged between the ignition element (5) and the supportingfloor (2).
 2. Disconnecting device according to claim 1, characterisedin that the sealing element (4) is an O-ring.
 3. Disconnecting deviceaccording to claim 1, characterised in that the sealing element (4) is aflat seal which is arranged on the supporting floor (2) and throughwhich the connecting pins (9) project.
 4. Disconnecting device accordingto claim 1, characterised in that the sealing element (4) is an elasticcompensation element injected on to the supporting floor (2). 5.Disconnecting device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised inthat the housing (1) consists of a plastics material with which glassfibres or carbon fibres are mixed for mechanical stiffening.